Multi-spray can applicator

ABSTRACT

An apparatus to hold two or more spray cans and spray controllably with both cans is disclosed. The cans may hold the same or different colors of paint or other coating materials, and may be reproducibly aimed within the apparatus in such a way as to achieve different effects when sprayed as a set. Mechanisms to individually adjust the spray rate of the two or more spray cans are also disclosed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

U.S. Provisional Application 62/216,235, filed Sep.9, 2015

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention described herein relates generally to an apparatus which provides a convenient way to hold one or more conventional pressurized or aerosol cans, such as used for spray paint, spray primer, spray anti-rust solutions, and/or lacquer, and spray them together. When a single can is used, this apparatus allows for easier control of the spray, without tiring out a finger from pressing the top button of the spray can, whereas when multiple cans are used either decorative effects can be achieved by mixing different colors or textures, or a wider swath of paint can be applied in one sweep. A trigger mechanism may also be included with this apparatus to allow for easier spray control.

REFERENCES

U.S. Design Pat. No. D283801

U.S. Design Pat. No. D287394

Spray Close 6001 Spray Extender at Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Spray-Close-6001-Extender/dp/B0014HBQLA

SUMMARY DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The invention described herein relates generally to an apparatus which is useful in painting or coating objects from one or more conventional pressurized spray cans. The spray cans can dispense paint, clear coat, primer, shellac, or other types of coatings for objects. The apparatus is designed to hold one or more of these cans, and allow the user to press on the top spray nozzle button by using a lever rather than directly having to push on the button with their finger. In particular, the apparatus is designed to hold two or more spray cans and spray from both cans at once, allowing for a variety of effects.

One embodiment of this invention lets it hold two or more cans of the same type of paint or other coating material. This allows the user to produce a wider, more even swath of paint because there are multiple, slightly separated sources of paint with the multiple cans.

Another embodiment of this invention is to hold two different colors of paint. This allows the user to, for example, give a two-toned effect to a painted sign or logo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the two can holding apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the two can holding apparatus.

FIG. 3 shows an example embodiment of a trigger mechanism to press on the one or more can's top spray buttons.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION—DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention and its various embodiments are described below, with reference to figures as necessary. Reference numbers are used to match particular elements described in the text with those shown in figures. Although the embodiments disclosed will be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

In particular, while this invention may be discussed in relation to different colors of paint, clearly it can be used with other coating materials which may be sprayed from spray cans. Such materials include paints, stains, waterproofing coatings, primers, urethanes, shellacs, anti-rust coatings, and powder coatings. In reference to this invention, spray can refers to any kind of small, pressurized or aerosol container of material such as above, whether pressurized with air or some solvent such as, but not limited to, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluoroalkanes, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, volatile hydrocarbons, such as propane, n-butane, isobutene, Dimethyl ether (DME) and methylethyl ether, separately or in combination.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a two can holding embodiment of the invention 100. Two spray cans 101 and 102 are mounted parallel to each other in the apparatus 100, with curving “wings” 103 and 104 holding them in place from the side and feet 105 and 106 holding them in place at the bottom. Spray can 101 is raised slightly in the apparatus, to show how it is slid down into place next to spray can 102. When the cans are slid into place, the tops would be approximately aligned with each other vertically, and pointing in approximately the same direction. Alternative embodiments might allow the wings 103 and 104 to hinge outwards to allow mounting the cans from the front, or having a single hinge in the rear to allow the apparatus to “split open” from the back.

Top flap 107 is hinged at hinge 108, allowing it to move up and out of the way for cans to slide into the apparatus, and down to press simultaneously on both spray buttons 109 and 110. In an alternative embodiment, the bottom of the holder could open to slide the cans up into the apparatus 100. Note that in alternate embodiments of this invention arrangements could be made to adjust the relative distances or separations of the flap 107 and the spray can buttons 109 and 110 independently, so that when the flap is pressed down, it will press slightly more on one spray button than the other, to thereby control the flow rate of the sprayed material independently from each can. This adjustment could be by using removable or adjustable pieces attached to the flapper mechanism 107 with different thicknesses or heights, so that one spray button is pressed more than the other when a thicker or higher piece presses on it.

In another embodiment, the independent adjustment could be made by rotating the rear hinge assembly 108 in the back plane of the apparatus, so that the flap 107 is “tilted” and one side strikes and presses on a spray can button before the other. In another embodiment, the flap 107 could be split, such that the two sections could be adjusted at different angles then locked in place, so that when the flap 107 was pressed down on the spray buttons 109 and 110 the buttons would be depressed by different amounts.

In another embodiment, the independent adjustment could be made by moving one of the cans slightly higher in the enclosure, so that the flap 107 would strike its button first. This could be by moving up one of the bottom feet 105 or 106 which hold the can in place, or merely by moving up one of the cans and holding it in place in the enclosure, as is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows a representation of a 3/4 rear view of a two can holding embodiment of the invention 200. The top of one can 201 is shown, along with flapper 202 pressing on the spray can button 203. There is also a handle 204 shown in this embodiment, to make it easier to hold the apparatus with two spray cans, and a lever 205 which can be pushed up with a finger or thumb to press the flapper 202 down on a spray can button 203. Obviously this embodiment can be used with only one spray can at a time, or can be broadened in width to use with more than two spray cans.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional side view the apparatus 300 with a trigger mechanism to allow easier pressing of the spray can buttons. In this embodiment, rear handle 301 has a trigger 302 mounted which can be pulled with one or more fingers. That trigger is attached by pivot point 308 to pivoting lever 303 which is attached to flapper 304. Flapper 304 pivots at hinge point 305, so the front part presses down on spray can button 306 on top of spray can 307. This embodiment, as others, is intended for use with multiple cans operated by flapper 304, but only one spray can 307 is shown here for clarity. In this and other embodiments, it may be desirable to have a “locking” mechanism, so that when the trigger is pressed down, it “latches” into place, keeping the spray going from the spray cans until, with another press on the trigger or pressing on a separate release, the trigger latch is released and the flapper 304 releases the spray can button or buttons. Such latches could be adapted from devices such as drills and other power tools.

As previously discussed, spraying paint or other materials from multiple cans simultaneously has several uses. First, by angling the spray direction of the cans directly forward or even slightly away from each other and using the same paint colors for each can, a wider swath of paint can be applied with each pass, potentially painting an object such as a wall or other large surface more quickly. Second, by angling the cans slightly towards each other or even aimed at the same spot and using two different paint colors for the two cans, two different colors of paint can be mixed, producing a third color which might be unavailable among standard paint colors. Finally, by using two different colors of paint and adjusting aim points appropriately, a bicolor stripe could be made, allowing for artistic sign or logo painting.

It would also be possible to arrange for markings on the flapper, wings or bottom plates to adjust aim points of the two cans more accurately and reproducibly, such that as cans of paint ran out, new ones could be put in while retaining the same color mix or pattern in the painted stripe. These markings would allow rotational adjustment of the spray cans in the plane of their central vertical axis. Even rotated, the direction of spray of the cans would still be considered aligned in approximately the same direction in regards to this invention, e.g. forward from the apparatus to coat an item in front of the cans and apparatus.

In another embodiment of this invention, it could be constructed so that there is greater separation between the two or more spray cans. With a typical spray can to target distance of 6-12 inches, preferably around 8 inches, and a “spot size” for the sprayed material of 4 to 16 inches, separating the cans may allow for a more optimally covered swath of paint than merely rotating the cans away from each other. This separation can be accomplished by several systems, including by providing fastening points or enclosures for the two or more cans which are spread out more horizontally along a frame, or by placing a spacer between the cans, or by putting two cans, for example, at the opposite ends of a three can holding apparatus, or by angling the tops of the cans away from each other in a “V” type formation, keeping the bottoms of the cans closer together. Clearly other combinations of these methods of can separation could be made by one skilled in the art.

It would also be possible to use foam, rubber, silicone or other “grippy” materials in the wings of the apparatus to help hold the cans in place so that they provide a reproducible paint swath. It would also be possible to use springs attached to the wings, or make the wings 103 and 104 of the enclosure out of an inherently springy material to clamp the spray cans in place to hold them more securely. It would also be possible to use a clamping system such as a hose clamp type system to securely hold each can or sets of cans in place in the apparatus. It would also be possible to extend the size of the apparatus to hold more than two cans, thereby holding three cans, four cans, and so on. In such a case, since more leverage is needed to press the buttons on multiple cans, it might be desirable to have a trigger mechanism operated by squeezing with the hand, or even using the other hand, rather than merely using a finger.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the embodiments. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein may be used individually or in any suitable combination thereof. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the embodiments, in particular using more than two spray cans in the apparatus. Accordingly, the present embodiments are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for holding and spraying at least two spray cans, comprising at least a partial enclosure holding the spray cans approximately parallel to each other and with their tops approximately aligned with each other, the upper ends of the spray cans being aimed in approximately the same direction, and a mechanism to press on the spray buttons on the tops of the spray cans approximately simultaneously, thereby causing the spray cans to spray out their contents.
 2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising a handle to hold the partial enclosure.
 3. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising at least one adjustable section on the mechanism so that when the mechanism is pressed against the spray buttons, at least one spray button is pressed down a different amount than at least one other spray button.
 4. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising a trigger type system which uses mechanical linkages to cause the mechanism to press on the spray buttons when the trigger is pressed.
 5. An apparatus as described in claim 4, further comprising a latch type system to keep the mechanism pressing on the spray buttons even after the trigger is released.
 6. An apparatus as described in claim 5, further comprising a release which releases the latch type system when the release is pressed.
 7. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising markings on the apparatus to allow reproducible aim of the spray direction of the two spray cans by rotationally adjusting the spray cans when the spray cans are placed in the apparatus.
 8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising springs on the sides of the partial enclosure to hold the spray cans in place.
 9. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising provision to adjust one can vertically in the enclosure relative to another can so that that when the mechanism is pressed against the spray buttons, at least one spray button is pressed down a different amount than at least one other spray button.
 10. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising holding the two spray cans beside each other, the upper ends of the spray cans being adjacent to each other.
 11. An apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising a system to separate two cans horizontally in the enclosure from each other so that a wider spray pattern can be achieved.
 12. A method for holding and spraying at least two spray cans in a simultaneous and controlled way, comprising placing two spray cans vertically beside each other in at least a partial enclosure with their upper ends adjacent to each other, rotating the spray cans so that their spray direction is in a desired alignment, and employing a mechanical mechanism thereby approximately simultaneously pressing on the spray buttons on the tops of the spray cans, thereby causing the spray cans to spray out their contents.
 13. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising holding the apparatus by a handle and pressing a trigger linked to the mechanical mechanism, thereby causing the spray cans to spray out their contents.
 14. A method as described in claim 13, further comprising latching down the trigger when spraying is occurring, and releasing the trigger latch when it is desirable to stop spraying.
 15. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising before employing the mechanical mechanism adjusting the mechanical mechanism distances to the spray buttons independently so that pressing the mechanical mechanism approximately simultaneously down on the buttons causes spraying from the spray cans at different flow rates.
 16. A method as described in claim 12, further comprising rotationally adjusting the spray cans when placing them in the enclosure in accordance with markings on the enclosure or mechanism, thereby reproducibly aiming the spray direction of the two spray cans. 